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Ventura not pleased call at first base stands

4/15/14: The White Sox challenge a close call at first base in the 2nd inning and Jose Abreu's groundout stands after review

By Scott Merkin
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MLB.com |

CHICAGO -- A call challenged by the White Sox in the second inning Tuesday night of a 2-1 victory over the Red Sox at U.S. Cellular Field stood after replay review.

Jose Abreu culminated a 12-pitch at-bat against Jake Peavy, including six straight foul balls, with a ground ball up the middle that was gloved by shortstop Xander Bogaerts. His throw was caught by first baseman Mike Napoli with a good stretch, but the White Sox challenged that Napoli came off the base.

After a two-minute, 15-second review, the call was ruled as stands.

White Sox Manager Robin Ventura's inaugural challenge came on April 6 in Kansas City, on a play where a safe call of Eric Hosmer at first stood, despite it looking like Hosmer was retired to complete the double play. The usually even-keeled Ventura was visibly irritated by that decision, and he wasn't much happier on Tuesday.

"I'm not doing too good on those," said Ventura with a wry smile. "You look at the replay, you see what you see on the field. ... I haven't seen the replay yet.

"But I know what I see on the field and then what everyone else sees on the replay. Having trust in it is getting pretty hard right now. Even looking around the league, it's a coin toss if you are going out there."

Scott Merkin is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Merk's Works, and follow him on Twitter @scottmerkin. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.